Refrigerator car



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[We/Worf 07m/e5 @Z50/75m Amr/7 Patented Feb. 10, 1942 REFRIGE RAT R CAR Charles D. Bonsall, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Standard Railway Devices Company, a corporation of Delaware Application April 24, 1939, Serial No. 269,696

, y 13 Claims.

This invention relates to-refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities at a predetermined temperature. 'Ihe essentialfeatures of a refrigerator car are an insulated body to prevent or retard ingress of heat during warm weather and egress of heat during cold weather and a cooling or heating means depending upon the prevailing outside temperature.

This invention applies particularly to cars in which the cooling means, preferably containers for Water ice, eutectic ice, brine or dry ice, are suspended immediately below the ceiling of the car. The lading is supported in spaced relation to the iioor by a foraminous rack. Flues, preferably associated with the side walls of the car, communicate between the refrigerant compartment and the space under the oor rack to provide a path for the circulation of air. path isfrom the refrigerant compartment downwardly through the aforementioned flues, through the space under the floor rack, and upwardly through the lading compartment to the refrigerant compartment. Y

Refrigerator cars ofthe above-mentioned type are commonly built with a series of refrigerant containers positioned near each side wall so that air cooled by tanks near one wall flows through the ue associated with that wall. Similarly air cooled by the containers near the opposite wall flows through a flue associated with said opposite wall. I. claim as my improvement the provision of tanks extending .between the side walls of the car. Air cooled by one tank preferably flows .through a flue associated with one Wall while air cooled by the adjacent tank preferably ows through a flue associated with the opposite wall. In other words, nues are associated with both side walls of the car and cold air is supplied to either liue by alternate containers. AThe advantages of the improvement which I have described are as follows:

The refrigerant containers can be secured directly to the refrigerator car Walls and used to support the car roof as wellas serve as containes,4 thus eliminating considerable structure from the upper part of the oar.

The provision of greater refrigerant capacity due to the elimination of space at the center of the car between tanks. The entire space below the roofis used for refrigerant in my improved construction.

The containers can also be used as a support for the roof insulation because the containers extend continuously between the side walls of the car.

The

.car embodying myinvention.

'Ther reductionA Vin the number of hatches through which the refrigerant is loaded reduces cost of refrigerant loading, particularly the cost of removal and replacement of hatch. plugs'and covers. K Y

The refrigerant, which has a very considerable mass, is moved from near the eaves of the car to adjacent the center, thereby providing a more stable car less likely to froll during service movements. Y y y A greater surface is providedfor contact ofthe air with the refrigerant container, thereby pro# Viding a more efficient refrigerating system and lower temperature of the air circulated to the la'ding compartment of the car. The duct under the refrigerant container in which air is cooled during flow therethrough is longer, thus providing greater velocity and there# fore greater air circulation through the.. lading compartment.

It may be desirable undercertain conditions to use semi-foraminous refrigerant containers so that a portion of the melted refrigerant may flow through the fiues, thus further cooling the air` Other advantages of my improvement will be apparent from the following detailed description by referring to the drawings in which: f

Fig.A lis a transverse section of a refrigerator Fig. 2. is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 1 but taken on a plane spaced from thef'plane of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. y

Fig. 4 Vis a diagrammatic plan view of the car shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

Figs. 5to 7 are diagrammatic plan views show-v ing modified constructions.

mentioned hereinafter are positioned within the chamber I2 and hatches are provided in the roof 2 for loading refrigerant into said containers.

Fig. 1, which is a section on line of Fig. 4, shows a drip pan 30 sloped downwardly toward the ue 9. The container 3| has a bottom 32 whose slope conforms substantially to the slope of the drip pan 36 and is spaced therefrom to provide the duct 35. An air inlet duct 31 is provided for entrance of air from the lading compartment 38 to the duct 35 where it is cooled by contact with the bottom 32 of the container 3| and thence circulates through the flue 9 and space 1 to the lading compartment 38. Thearrows 4|! show the path of the circulating air.

Fig. 2 as shown in the plan of Fig. 4,'.is on .a plane parallel with and spaced from the plane of Fig. 1. The container 50 has a bottom 5| sloping downwardly toward the iiue Hl.v The'drip pan 53 likewise slopes downwardly toward the flue I and is spaced from the botom 5| to provide .the duct .54 .which communicates with the flue l0. iA hatchf-56.ispreferablyprovided onthe opposite side of the carfrom thehatch 51 of Fig. l. `As .shownin Fig. .4,.the carlis thus provided with containers 3| and hatches 5'! alternating with containers D and hatches l56. .Thelarrows 40 show thedirection of air flow in/thefducts35 under the containers-3| while thearrows-SS show therdirectiorrof air ow in theducts 54 under-the containers 50.

The side Wall is preferably supported by vertical frame .members or posts 1.9, `8|) disposed within the flues .9, l0 and positioned lto divide said lues intoa plurality of .,sections. The posts 19, 80 are positioned `substantially .as shown in Fig. 4 so that the flue 9 .is .divided into a plurality of sections-8| and .thefiue I0 is divided into a plurality .of .sections 82. It should be noted that air flowing under the containers V5|) in the direction indicated by the `arrows 59 ows, `partly to one side and partly to the other sideof the post .80, into .the sections .82. Similarly, air `flowing under the containers A3| inthe direction indicated Vbythearrows 46 flows to the sections 8|. Eachside wall fiue is thereby provided .with 1a supply of cold air throughout substantially its entire length. If `additional posts are required, they would be disposed between the posts 19, 8D and perforated so .that air could permeate to all parts of theues 9, lo. The containers.3|, 50 are preferably secured to the side walls 3,:4.as.by therivets .62. This arrangement permits the elimination ofthe `conventional carlines and other `roof frame, members, the'containers functioning .as carlines. `The tops 63 of the containers may functionas retainers to hold the roof insulation |6 in place.

Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal section through the hatch 51 and container 3| as shown in Fig. `1. Fig. 3 also shows the end portions of two 'containers 50 which are positioned on either side of the container `3| as shown in Fig. 4. The transverse members 65 have oppositely inclined surfaces 66, 61 on the lower sides thereof. 'The surface 66 is inclined to conform to the slope of the drip pan 30 and the surface 61 is inclined to conform to the slope of the drip pan 53. The drip pans 36, 53 are rigidly secured to the members 65 to Aprevent ow of air therebetween into thefchamber |2. Corrugated protecting ,pans 69 may be provided on the upper' surfaces of the drip pans 30, 53, the corrugations servingto keep condensation or melted refrigerant distributed thereover. The members 13 in Figs. 1 and-Zmay be provided to prevent moisture from condensing on the containers and falling on the lading.

Fig. 5 shows a modification in which the similar containers 3| and 50 are arranged in pairs. It is not intended to limit the invention to similar containers arranged singly or in pairs but it is desired to include groups of three, four or even more containers from which air circulates to the same side of the car.

Fig. 6 shows diagrammatically an arrangement in which two drip pans are preferably spaced from the bottom of each container 15. One of such drip pans is inclined like the drip pan 30 in Fig. 1, therebydirecting circulating air to `the/iue 9, .as .shown by arrows 16 in Fig. 6. The other of such .drip pans is inclined like the drip pan 53 in Fig, 2, thereby directing circulating air to the flue |),.as` shown by arrows 11 in Fig. 6.

Fig. '7 shows a modification in which the hatches are positioned adjacent the walls to which .theair in theiducts under Lthe containers ows. The arrowsshow thedirection ofriiow of 'said air.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the1pre ferred form of theinvention, thoughrit is robe understood :that the invention is `not; 'limited to the exact details` of construction .shown and Idescribed, as it is obvious .that 'various modifications thereof, within thescopaof theclaims, will occur to Apersonsskilledin .theart I claim:

`l. In `a .refrigerator .having aroof and spaced apart side walls, .a .refrigerant container below said roof .extending .between said side walls and means to secure .opposite :walls .of 'said 'container to said side walls, said .container .functioningzas a carline for .supporting at leastpart of said roof.

2. In. a `refrigerator. having spaced apart walls, a `roof .extending therebetween, ya `foraminous rack arranged to support .a 'lading upon 4the door of the refrigerator and Avproviclea space therebetween, ue means associatedwith'each of said walls .to conduct cold air to .said space, a refrigerant: chamber near the roof, refrigerating means within saidchamber, warm air inlet-means leadingito vsaid chamber, `and means providing cold' air discharge. openings. leading Vfrom said chamber :.to fthe 'flue means .associated with both of said/walls.

3. In a refrigerator havingfspacedapart walls,r a roof extending therebetween, .aforaminous rack arranged Ato support a Ylading upon thefloor of the refrigerator and provide Ya space therebetween, .fluemeans .associated with .each ofsaid walls toconductcoid air tosaid space,.a refrigerant chamber near. theroof, refrigeratingmeans within-said chamber, warm airv inlet meansleading to saidchamber, and. means providing ;cold air discharge .openings .leadingfrom said 'chamber to the flue means associatedwith one ofisaid walls and other cold air discharge openings'leadingto .the flue .means associated with lthe other of said walls.

4. vIn a refrigerator having spaced apart walls, a roof extending therebetween, a fforaminous rack arranged to supporta lading. upon'thefioor of. the refrigerator .and .provide a space therebetween, flue means associated with each 4of said walls to conduct cold air'to said space, a refrigerant chamber near the roof, refrigerating means within said chamben'warm air inletmeansleading to said chambenand means providing cold air discharge openings leading from said chamber to the flue means associated with one-of said walls and other cold vair discharge openings in staggered relation to said first mentione-d discharge openings leading to the flue means associated with the other of said walls.

5. In a refrigerator having spaced apart walls, a roof extending therebetween, a foraminous rack arranged to support a lading upon the floor of the refrigerator and provide a space therebetween, ilue means associated with each of said walls to conduct cold air to said space, a refrigerant chamber near the roof, refrigerating means within said chamber, warm air inlet ducts leading to said chamber, and means providing cold air discharge openings leading from said chamber to the flue means associated with one of said walls and other cold air discharge openings leading to the flue means associated with the other of said walls, said air inlet openings being disposed oppositely of the car from the respective discharge openings.

6. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart side walls and a roof extending therebetween, a foraminous rack arranged to support a lading upon the floor of the car and provide a space therebetween, flue means associated with each of said walls and arranged to conduct cold air to said space, a plurality of refrigerant containers below the roof arranged in a line longitudinally of the car, and a drip pan below each container in spaced relation thereto to provide a duct therebetween, the ducts below some of said containers communicating with the ue means associated with one of sai-d walls and the others of said ducts communicating with the flue means associated with the other of said walls.

7. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart side walls and a roof extending therebetween, a foraminous rack arranged to support a lading upon the floor of the car and provide a space therebetween, flue means associated with each of said walls and arranged to conduct cold air to said space, a plurality of refrigerant containers below the roof arranged in a line longitudinally of the car, and a drip pan below each container in spaced relation thereto to provide a duct therebetween, the ducts below some of said containers communicating with the flue means associated with one of said walls and the other of said ducts communicating with the flue means associated with the other of said walls, said drip pans being inclined downwardly toward the flue means with which the respective ducts communicate.

8. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart walls and a roof, ilue means associated with each of said walls and arranged to deliver air to the lower part of the interior of said car, a plurality of refrigerant containers near said roof, an air cooling duct adjacent `each of said containers and extending substantially between said walls, air inlet openings leading to said ducts, an air discharge opening leading from one of said ducts to the ue means associated with one of said walls, and another discharge opening leading from another of said ducts to the nue means associated with the other of said walls.

9. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart walls and a roof, flue means associated with each of said walls and arranged to deliver air to the lower part of the interior of said car, a plurality of refrigerant -containers near said roof, means cooperating with said roof and walls to enclose said containers, said last mentioned means arranged to form in combination with said containers air cooling ducts adjacent said containers and extending substantially between said walls, air inlet openings leading to said ducts, and air discharge openings leading from said ducts to said ue means.

10. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart walls and a roof, flue means associated with each of said walls and arranged to deliver air to the lower part of the interior of said car, a refrigerant container near said roof, means cooperating with said container to form an air cooling space adjacent said container and air inlet means leading to said space, and air discharge openings leading from said space to the flue means associated with both of said walls.

11. In a refrigerator car having a pair of spaced apart walls and a roof, a refrigerant container -disposed below said roof and extending substantially between said walls, and a hatch in said roof adjacent one of said walls arranged for loading refrigerant therethrough into said container, the bottom of said container being inclined rdownwardly toward the other of said walls.

12. In a refrigerator car having a pair of spaced apart walls and a roof, a plurality of refrigerant containers disposed below said roof and extending substantially between said walls, and hatches in said roof disposed alternately adjacent each of said walls and arranged for loading refrigerant therethrough into said containers, the bottom of each of said containers being inclined downwardly away from the wall adjacent the respective hatch.

13. In a refrigerator car having a pair of spaced apart walls and a roof, a refrigerant container disposed below said roof and extending substantially between said walls, a hatch in said roof adjacent one of said walls arranged for loading refrigerant 'therethrough into said container, the bottom of said container being inclined downwardly toward the other of said walls, a flue associated with said last mentioned wall and arranged to conduct air to the lower part of the car, a drip pan spaced below said bottom -to form an inclined duct therebetween which communicates at its lower end with the upper part of said flue, and an air inlet opening to the upper part of said duct.

CHARLES D. BONSALL. 

